Google ordered to pay out for automated defamation

Search suggestion libels Frenchman

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Google has been ordered to pay €5,000 to a Frenchman who claimed he was libelled by automatic suggestions on Google's home page.

The man, who has not been named, said anyone searching for his name on google.fr was presented with suggestions including "rapist:, "rape" and "prison", according to Le Monde. The court found Google guilty of "public slandering of a private individual".

The man in question had been previously convicted of "corrupting a minor".

Google said suggestions were based on other people's searches, and were not the firm's responsibility. It said it would appeal the decision.